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Sore throat
Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about. They normally get better by themselves within a week.
How to treat a sore throat yourself
To help soothe a sore throat and shorten how long it lasts, you can:
gargle with warm, salty water (children should not try this)
drink plenty of water
eat cool or soft foods
avoid smoking or smoky places
suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets – but do not give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
rest
How to gargle with salt water
Video: how to treat a sore throat
This video shows you how to treat a sore throat.
Play Video
Media last reviewed: 1 June 2020
Media review due: 1 June 2023
A pharmacist can help with sore throats
You can ask a pharmacist about ways of relieving the pain and discomfort of a sore throat, such as:
paracetamol or ibuprofen
medicated lozenges containing a local anaesthetic, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory medicine
anaesthetic spray (although there's little proof they help)
You can buy these treatments from a supermarket or from a pharmacist without a prescription.
Information:
Call your pharmacy or contact them online before going in person. You can get medicines delivered or ask someone to collect them.
Find a pharmacy
Antibiotics
You do not normally need antibiotics for a sore throat because they will not usually relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.
They'll only be prescribed if a GP thinks you could have a bacterial infection.
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
your sore throat does not improve after a week
you often get sore throats
you're worried about your sore throat
you have a sore throat and a very high temperature, or you feel hot and shivery
you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of diabetes or chemotherapy
A severe or long-lasting sore throat could be something like strep throat (a bacterial throat infection).
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Immediate action required:
Call 999 if:
You or your child:
have difficulty swallowing or breathing
are drooling – this can be a sign of not being able to swallow
are making a high-pitched sound as you breathe (called stridor)
have severe symptoms and are getting worse quickly
Sore throat symptoms
If you have a sore throat you might have:
a painful throat, especially when swallowing
a dry, scratchy throat
redness in the back of your mouth
bad breath
a mild cough
swollen neck glands
The symptoms are similar for children, but children can also get a temperature and appear less active.
Causes of sore throats
Sore throats are usually caused by viruses (like cold or flu) or from smoking. Very occasionally they can be caused by bacteria.
A sore throat can also be caused by:
laryngitis
tonsillitis
strep throat (a bacterial throat infection)
glandular fever
Page last reviewed: 05 February 2021
Next review due: 05 February 2024
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